The results are in! Thanks to the amazing fans of The Fictionals, Geekenders and Rio Theatre, we now have the definitive* list of the Best Nicolas Cage Films of All Time!
Cage has been acting since the early ’80s, with over 75 credits and an Oscar to his name. Voters who submitted their choices through The Rio Theatre Facebook Group, The Fictionals’ Fan Page and Improv Against Humanity ultimately named 15 films to the Cage Classics list.
1) Moonstruck (1987) and Vampire’s Kiss (1989) – TIE
Viewers love classic Cage, voting his brooding, working-class dreamer and a literary agent turned vampire as his top films. Moonstruck turned Cage into a heartthrob, though at the time the experience of being in a hit film confused him. “I feel like there’s a big, wet fish slapping itself against the inside of my head right now,” he said to the LA Times.
2) Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), Valley Girl (1983), Raising Arizona (1987), Wild at Heart (1990), and Face/Off (1997) – TIE
Viewers love Cage’s early work best, from a small role in Fast Times, to rom-coms, crime thrillers and the third-ever film by the Coen Brothers. However, they also enjoy his team-up with John Travolta in John Woo’s Face/Off, the film that introduced face-swapping technology to the world.
3) Con Air (1997), Gone in 60 Seconds (2000), Adaptation (2002) and Kick-Ass (2010) – TIE
Later in his career, Cage transitioned into an action star with hits Con Air, Gone In 60 Seconds and Kick ass. Voters and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences also enjoyed his 2002 turn as Charlie Kaufman, a confused L.A. screenwriter overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy, sexual frustration, self-loathing, and by the screenwriting ambitions of his freeloading twin brother Donald (also played by Cage). Cage was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar, but lost out to Adrien Brody for The Pianist.
Honourable Mentions: Peggy Sue Got Married (1986), It Could Happen To You (1994) and Grindhouse (2007)
*Definitive results may vary. Please consult your Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide for more information.